Located on the second floor of the Souk Qaryat Al Beri in Al Maqtaa, Itran is a cosy new Moroccan spot near The Meat Co.
The venue itself is stunning, with traditional Moroccan décor and mosaic tiling throughout. There are also two options when it comes to seating – either inside at a bulky table with a comfortable armchair, or outside on the patio with magnificent views of the Al Maqta Canal and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. We simply have to grab our phone and snap away at the picturesque sunset over all of it. Best of all? The outside area is fully covered and air-conditioned.
With comfort, ambience and views sorted, we finally start browsing the extensive menu. For starters we opt for the salatet el kebda, which is lamb’s liver, and the shorba bil hout, a seafood soup. The livers, cooked with charmola and olive lemon, are saucy and delicious, but a bit overcooked. A couple of them are slightly burned, but overall the dish is pleasant. The soup consists of mixed seafood, potato and fish stock, and is served with a selection of breads. It’s fragrant and the portion is large so we have to hold back from finishing it, in fear of filling up and ruining our mains. All in all, we’re pleased with our starters.
For mains our waitress suggests the tanjia marrakchia – lamb cooked in pickled lime and saffron. First and foremost, the flavoursome meat itself is soft and tender, just the way lamb should be. What surprises us, though, is that it’s served in the same sized bowl as our starters.
Which means the dish itself is terribly small. Considering the price of Dhs140, we feel a bit let down on the value for money.
Overall, thanks to the ambience, location and authentic cuisine, Itran is off to a good start. It’s also a perfect Arabic dining experience for our international visitors.
The bill (for two)
Lamb starter Dhs39
Seafood soup Dhs59
Lambtanjia Dhs140
Total (excluding taxes) Dhs238
The bottom line A new spot that ticks most of the boxes.
